A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, and more particularly to a gaming device with a symbol covering feature.
Gaming machines such as slot machines currently exist wherein a player has one or more opportunities to obtain a particular symbol, a group of symbols or combinations of symbols. If the player obtains one of the designated winning symbols or a winning combination of symbols, the game either awards the player a credit value or provides the player with a bonus. The outcome depends upon the particular symbol or symbols obtained by the player. If the player does not obtain such symbols, the game terminates.
Generating the symbols in existing gaming machines, such as traditional slot machines, includes spinning reels in a mechanical or video format. The player or the gaming device itself initiates the reel spin which randomly alternates or rearranges the symbols. The reels stop spinning, presenting the rearranged symbols to the player along one or more paylines. Various effects have been used to generate excitement regarding the spinning reels including sounds associated with the reels and altering the motion or movement of the reels.
To increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide players with new features for gaming devices which bring further attention to the reels of gaming devices.
The present invention provides a gaming device and method which provides video or virtual reels which are partially or fully covered while spinning. The reels are adjacent to one another and each reel displays a plurality of indicia or symbols. Functionally, each reel spins, randomizing, altering or rearranging the symbols. The reels stop spinning and display the newly randomized or rearranged symbols.
The symbols are displayed on the reels in relation to one another. Preferably, certain combinations of symbols share a theme. For example, if all of the symbols are different types of airplanes, boats and trains, the theme could be travel. If all of the symbols are different types of beach scenes, the theme could be beaches or summer.
Preferably, before the reels start to spin, after the reels begin spinning or before the reels stop spinning and the randomized or rearranged symbols are displayed, the gaming device partially or totally obscures, hides, screens or covers the reels and symbols thereon, and performs certain exhibitions, preferably related to the theme of the game. The term xe2x80x9cexhibitionxe2x80x9d as used in this specification includes an audio, visual or audiovisual representation of a person, place or thing in motion or at rest, including video images, graphics, activities, animations, virtual representations, simulations or movement, used in construction with the cover to obscure or hide the reels while spinning. It is anticipated that the exhibition and the cover may be the same or separate inputs to the monitor or other display device. The cover is used to obscure the reels, while the exhibition entertains the player. It is anticipated that one device, generally referred to as a xe2x80x9cscreenxe2x80x9d, incorporating the functions of both the cover and the exhibition is used. The gaming device provides the cover and exhibition or screen in one screenshot or in a succession of screenshots.
In operation, a player inserts money, coins, tokens or otherwise makes a payment to the gaming device. The gaming scheme provides the player with credits which correspond to the amount of payment made. The player pushes a play button, other activator or otherwise activates the gaming scheme which causes the reels to spin. As long as the player has credits remaining, the game enables the player to repeatedly spin the reels until the gaming device terminates the player""s play.
When the player pushes the play button or otherwise activates the gaming scheme, the gaming device covers, obscures or hides the reels. In one preferred embodiment, the gaming device replaces the video depiction of the reels, with a video depiction of a cover and then replaces the cover with a video depiction of an exhibition. If, for example, a gaming scheme includes race cars, the gaming device could cover the spinning reels and then display a waving checkered flag as an exhibition. If, on the other hand, the gaming device theme includes mining for gold, the gaming device could cover the spinning reels, replacing the cover with an exhibition, including dynamite and an explosion. It is anticipated that the present invention combines the cover and exhibition into one device or screen. In this embodiment, the gaming scheme replaces the reels with the video depiction of a screen (i.e., displaying just the wiper or the racecar).
It should be appreciated that the foregoing examples are merely illustrations and that the computer can use other covers and exhibitions or screens to obscure, hide, cover or otherwise replace the reels. It should also be appreciated that the gaming device can be adapted to use the cover and exhibition or screen before or after spinning the reels, or as the game begins or terminates.
Preferably, when the exhibitions are complete, the game provides the player with an outcome, such as displaying the reels with newly arranged symbols or providing the player with credits or bonus values, providing the player with the opportunity to gain credits or bonus values, deducting credits or bonus credits from the player, terminating the game or otherwise generating a game event or determining the outcome of the game. Which particular outcome occurs is predetermined or randomly determined, and preferably programmed into the gaming device controller. It should also be appreciated that the present invention could be employed in conjunction with a bonus round or scheme which includes spinning reels.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device with a symbol covering feature.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gaming device that uses an exhibition to cover the reels and symbols.